Wichita eagle., 1887-08-09
NOT ENCOURAGING TO PEN DRIVERS

Joe Howard Writes of the Inevitable
Poverty of Journalistic Life.
The rich men in journalism are not the best
writers. There are men who would have
shown quite as brilliantly behind the calico
counter, in the button factory or in the
whisky still. 1t doesn't make them any less
men because they had the faculty of money
saving, nor am such an idiot as to assume
for moment that because man in journal
ism or in literary life is rich he is untitled
for his calling, but / do contend that the men
who have amassed great fortunes in journal
ism and in literary life are the publishers
rather than the editors and writers. Take the
Harpers for instance. What better ilIuStra-
ton could be asked than that Not one of
them writers. They are all rich, but how
many of their editors and writers have money
to the fore Take the case of Conant. Al
though he was with the Harpers the greater
part of his literary life; although he served
them with intelligent vitality, bringing to
their use rare qualities of mind and of heart
and exceptional culture, he hadn't a dollar
when he went away, nor has his wife ari
family to-day save what they earn by the
happy, felicitouS combination of brain and
hand.
The first managing editor of The New
York Times whom / remember was Alexan-
der G.. Wilson. He died in poverty The
managing editor of The New York World
was David Ct. Croly. He is working to-day,
as is his wife, Jennie June-constant, indie
fatigable, never resting are they, working
to-day as much as they did thirty years ago,
when they began. The writers on The Her
aid, can you find me one with money: Those
on The World, eau you find me one with
money? The writers on The Times, The Tri-
bune, The Sun-not one of them with money
as men in commerce speak of money. Now
and then you will find man who, from bis
salary of $50 or 500 a week, saves $40 or
$50; but how, under heavens, can he think
that the savings so accumulated could be
even a pittance in the eye of the world?
And once used up they are done with.
A squeezed sponge is better than they, be-
cause the sponge may fill up again-they
can't They are best illustrated by a squeezed
orange. for which there is no revivication,
Raymond, the brainy editor OF The Times.
died comparatively poor, and had it not been
for the shrewdness with which the infamies
of the Tweed ring were utilized by George
Jones, the Publisher, and his associates, the
Raymond estate would have PANIED out next
to nothing. Horace Greeley was proverbially
untitled for manipulation in money affairs,
and Charles \. Dana is to-day rich man
not because he had mercantile head, but be-
cause he had brains enough to utilize oppor-
tunitieS and to utilize good men. He had in
his business Office the best business manager
known at the time in Journalism, life long
friend, a devoted comrade, and Mr. Dana's
wealth to-day comes to him not because he
earned it as writer, but because he had in
his staff man who knew where to place the
good things that Dana and his accomplished
young men, as he calls them, prepared from
day to day. No, indeed; as rule, when you
find the man at the head Of the paper rich,
you will find him not writer
Charles A. Dana is the one exception. Mr.
Bennett never dreams of writing Why
should he'-Joe Towards Letter